ABSTRACT
Mental health professionals play a vital role in schools today. The evolution of this role has reflected Western culture’s priorities over time and the way in which counselors in general are seen as helpers in the field. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, guidance groups were formed in schools to support and address the vocational needs of an industrializing nation. Early programs were directive in nature and involved the provision of guidance classes to promote character development, teach socially appropriate behaviors, and assist with vocational planning (Paisley & Borders, 1995).
